Improvement in steam-engines



messes:

im WML.

PATENT GFFIGE.

WILLIAM CLEVELAND HICKS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

IMPRVEM ENT IN STEAM-ENGINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 54,906, dated May 22, 1866.

. To all whom 'it may concern:

Steam-Engines; and I hereby declare-the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figures 1 and 2 of Plates 1 and 2 are plan views, partly in horizontal section, of an engine constructed in accordance with my saidV invention, the plane of section passing through the center of the cylinder, each gure indieatin g one of the two pairs of cylinders which constitute an engine complete. Figs. 3 and 4 of Plates 3 and et are front elevations, partly in vertical section, of the same, the plane of section passing through the center of the cylinder, each figure indicating one of the pair of cylinders Opposite cach other. The sectional views show the arrangement of the pistons in opposite cylinders at full stroke-. z'. e., the crank being on the center. Fig. 5 of Plate 5 is an end view of the engine, partly in vertical section,the plane of section passin g through the center of ports, so as to show the two contiguous cylinders with the pistons at full in the one and at half stroke in the other cylinder. Fig. 6 isa vertical transverse section otl the same through the center ot' ports, showing the two contiguous cylinders with their pistons at fullin the one and at halt' stroke in the other cylinder.

This invention relates to that class of steamengines in which pistons of suitable form and arrangement perform also the ofces of valves and cut-off, dispensing not only with these contrivances, but also with the whole array of valve-rods, eccentrics, rock-shafts, packingboxes, slides, levers, cross-heads, and external attachments of every kind which they necessitate-that is to say, to that class of steamengines which in one type or form has been patented to me on the 21st day of February, 1865.

The object of this invention is the arrangement of this steam-engine so as to admit of better adaptation to locomotive, steamboat, and many other purposes for which the upright engine, or the engine in which the cylinders are arranged crosswise or radiating Vfrom a common center, is less applicable.

Another object of this invention is to give the engine greater stability or steadiness and to effect a saving in the use` ot steam. Y

To this effect my invention consists in the general arrangement of parts, subordinate, however, to the principle and subject-matter of my patent of February 21,1865, before named.

In the arrangement four cylinders are employed, the pistons in which receive thepressure of the steam or other fluid in one direction only, or are what is called single-acting.7

I would here observe that the pistons opposite to each other may be rigidly connected, in which case the two pistons together constitute virtually and in effect but one largely-recessed piston, which receives pressure of steam alternately in front and in rear, and is thus, as it were, double-acting. In the annexed drawings these are shown arranged in two pairs, parallel to each other. They are hollow and open at their inner ends, and having a crank-shaft in the center.

The four cylinders are marked in the drawings A, B,'G, and D. `The cylinders which are contiguous are connected with each other by two steam-channels, e and f, one of which, e, is for direct steam, and the other, f, for the exhaust, although in reversing the engine e becomes the exhaust and f the steam-passage. The pistons are cylindrical, and take up sufficient space to lap over the openings of the steam-channels e and f where those enter t-he cylinders.

In the sides of the piston channels or recesses are` cut proper to meet the steam-passages when the piston is moved along the cylinder, so that they shall stand over their openings.

not operate the steam for its own cylinder, but always for the cylinder next adjoining it. Thus the valve in the cylinder A regulates the ow of steam to and from the cylinder B, and, vice versa, the valve in the cylinder B regulates the iiow of steam to and from the cylinder A, so that there is reciprocal action in these twocylinders. It will be seen that in this arrangement ther is no necessary connection between the two pairs of cylinders opposite each other, but that they are or may be independent in their action, except so far as they are connected or coupled together on the same crank-shaft.

Itis to be understood that the valve does It will be understood, also, that the two cylinders C and D are arranged in precisely the same manner as described with reference to cylinders A- and B, they and their pistons being provided with channels and recesses to regulate the tlowof steam to and from each other in like manner.

There are six openings into each cylinderviz., c andf, leading from b to a, ande and f', leading from ot to b on the inner sides, and so likewise for the other two cylinders and lying in the same plane. The other two openings enter on nearlyiopposite sides of' the cylinder, at an angle to those iirst named, and as shown by hh and t 'i' in cylinders A and B.

The opening h, as also thesimilar opening t' in the other cylinder, lead to one common receiving-pipe i'or the admission ot' steam, as shown at k, Figs. 3, 5, and 6, k being the branch pipe` forconnecting the two contiguous-cylinders with it. The openings h t" also lead in like manner to one common exit-pipe', l.

At a m are recesses on one side of the valve or piston. One of these, a, passes round onehalf (more or less) of the circumference of the cylinder alternately on the upper and under side, while m extends between two openings-on the opposite end of the piston. It will be thus seen that when the piston a, for instance, has moved along so that the channel n stand opposite e', it will also be over the opening h, so that steam will pass at once into the cylinder B. The same is also true of mgibrwhenthat recess is opposite f it will alsostand over the opening h', and the steam can flow out of the cylinder B, as shown.

On the opposite side of the piston there is another opening for receiving andrdischargin g thewsteam according to the working of the. valve in a. This opening is seen at o, and extendsthrough the narrow channel o up and through the piston, thus communicating with the steam-space'between the piston and the head ofthe cylinder. As shown, it overlaps the'two ports e and j", and acts in that respect like an ordinary slide-valve.

The crank-shaft is placed in the opening in the frame at the inner ends of the four cylinders, asseen at p, that being the crank-pin. Fourconnecting-rods, each attached to one of the four pistons, are joined to the crank-pins. As the cranks on the shai't are at right angles to eachother, there is necessarily always one or two pistons in action upon the crank, so that when any pair of pistons which stand opposite to each other are at the end of their strokes the other twov will be at the half of their stroke. Thus the" piston bis at half-stroke moving toward the crank, c is also at half-stroke retreating from the crank, and a and d at the extremity of their respective strokes. Now it is when the pistons are at half-stroke that the valves begin to operate upon the steam for the adjoining cylinder, either to admit or exhaust the steam, as may be required.

It will be seen that if the recess n in the valve in cylinder A is just ready to lap the channel e and cover the opening h, thus admitting steam at once to the cylinder B in the rear ot' its piston, this channel will be kept open until the piston in A has completed its stroke vand returned back to the half-stroke, lfor then the piston bwill have completed its stroke and be ready to return. It must therefore be allowed to exhaust its steam. The recess m will new have come to the opening h and f', thus at once exhausting the steam, for the two halfstrokes of the piston in A are just equal to the whole stroke of the piston. in B. The piston b acts in like manner for the valve for the cylinder A. The piston in the latteris returning for a new stroke, and is accordingly exhausti n g its steam, the chann elf is accordingly putin connection with the escape-passage 7L through the recess m, as shown, and the same operation takes place for the cylinders C and D. Thus `it vwill be understood that in each cylinder there is contained a piston which operates as a valve to admit and exhaust the steam to and .from the next adjoining cylinder.

In steam-engines constructed in the manner :described there may be combined with the arrangement of valve shown an ordinary D slide-valve or other reversing-valve in a steamsupply chamber, whereby the starting, stopping, and reversing of the engine may be et'- fected.

In Figs. l and'2 and in Figs. 3 and 4 are views, respectively, in plan and elevation (shown partly in dotted lines) of the mode of attachment of the connecting-rods to the cranks of .the crank-shaft and to the pistons.

The crank-shaftRis arranged centrally in relation to and in the same planes of the four cylinders. It is provided with two cranks arranged at right angles to each other. To the crank-pin p are attached the connect- `ing-rods of the pistons b and c, while to the crank-pin p' are secured the connecting-rods of the pistons ct and d. The other end of the `connecting-rod is attached to a pin, q, traversing the piston at both sides, but turned sor as to present a flush nish with the general surface of the piston. This, although an important feature in the construction of my engine, oiering, as it does, the most efficient connection that can be applied, is not essential to the general arrangement described, as other coninections may be used with good eifect.

The operation is as follows Steam bein gadmitted through k, the piston-valvej is drawn so as to allowit to tlow through k, whence it will pass by the branch pipes 7c 7c to each of the cylinders A, B, G, and D. The piston avis just at the end of its return stroke and in the position ready to receive steam. The position der Ain rear of the piston, and Vaccordingly drives the latter toward `the crank. At the same time that the piston in A is receiving the effect ot' the steam admitted through the cylinder B the piston in A is performing the ofice of regulating the oW of steam into and from B. The piston in this latter cylinder, having performed its stroke, is exhausting its steam, and it will be seenA by the direction of the arrow flowing back through f', m, and h to the nal discharge l. The face of the narrour channel o" forms a cut-oft' by lapping over the port in e as soon as the piston has performed one-halt' its stroke, in which position itis shown in cylinder B. This lap may be made adjustable as to length by a sliding piece, so as to regulate the expansion to any degree required.

Several variations can be made in this engine. It is not necessary that the channels f and e be separate. They may be included in one and may terminate in the cylinders in the rear ot' the pistons, so as to omit the passage o and o.

Steam has been described as the iluid used for the motive power; but water, gas, or other duid may be employed, and the engine also be employed as a pump.

Having thus described my invention and the manner in which the same is or may be carried into e'ect, Iclaim- The arrangement ofthe cylinders, valvular pistons, and steam ad mission and ex'haustpassages, substantially as herein described, to operate in the manner and for the purposes set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this .specification before two subscribing witnesses.

WM. CLEVELAND HICKS.

Witnesses E. L. 000K, G. M. RAYMOND. 

